Tailoring of epitaxial strain in doped lanthanummanganite thin films

We have grown single crystalline doped LaMnO3 thin films using the pulsed l aser deposition technique and analyzed the interrelation of epitaxial strai n with transport properties. An unexpected possibility of tailoring the met al-insulator transition temperature, T-MI, has been developed and correlate d with biaxially epitaxial strain. Whereas in the case of La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 a reduction of T-MI is observed, we demonstrate an unexpected epitaxial strai n-induced metal-insulator transition for La.88Sr.1MnO3 thin films. The resu lts are explained by biaxial tensile and compressive stress of the films, r espectively.